Sometimes
there are entries in his journal that remind us that there were just
two policemen to cover a huge area, and no means of calling for
backup ! On more than one occasion both the Machynlleth constables were
faced with an angry mob.

The entry shown above was made in
1847, and it reads:"... took into custody Richard Jones drunck
[drunk] and disorderly in the streets - on the way to the Lockup
we were obstructed by a Rabble of People and the Prisnor [prisoner]
taken from us".

The ringleaders of
this rabble were arrested the next day, and later fined. One of them was
fined £10, which was as much
as some people earned in a year in 1847.